On sports media.

Bears' Radio Rights Hot, Not Scalding Like Glory Years

It used to be that radio stations would come running at the Bears with money flying out of their pockets. They weren't handed a blank check, but it was pretty close.

The radio stations are running at the Bears again as their three-year deal with WMAQ-AM 670 ends after the 1999 season. But this time, the team will face a bear market. Industry sources wouldn't be surprised if the Bears' new deal isn't worth as much as the current one.

The tagline now is "within reason." Steve Carver, general manager for WGN-AM 720, which carried the Bears from 1985-96, summed up the tone for the upcoming negotiations.

"In the past, we felt like we had to have them," Carver said. "Now we want to have them. There's a big difference. If the deal doesn't make sense, I won't do it."

Ken Valdiserri, the Bears' vice president for marketing and broadcasting, knows the climate. He is in the early stages of hearing the pitches from WMAQ, WGN and WMVP-AM 1000, the three competitors for the rights.

"I don't anticipate we'll see the kind of numbers we were looking at three or four years back," Valdiserri said.

The Bears' current contract with WMAQ reportedly is in the neighborhood of $5 million per year. Financially, the deal has been as successful for the station as Dave Wannstedt was with the Bears, with losses in excess of $1 million.

Nevertheless, Rod Zimmerman, WMAQ's general manager, wants to extend the contract. The team brings listeners to the station.

But this time, the price has to be right.

"We're optimistic," Zimmerman said. "We want to continue with them--if the financial side works out."

A couple of factors are at work here. If the Bears were Super Bowl contenders, the situation would be different. Consecutive 4-12 seasons have a way of sending a team to the discount line.

But that's not the only reason. Radio stations are becoming more conservative with rights fees, as the demands for accountability increase on Wall Street.

The Bears will get some answers in the upcoming weeks. If they don't get the answers--and numbers--they want, the Bears could take things literally into their own hands.

Valdiserri said the Bears are considering bringing the package in-house and selling the advertising themselves. They already do that for their exhibition games on television and for other Bears-related shows.

Going in-house could give them a larger upside potential, especially if the team suddenly gets good. But it is a huge investment in work and resources.

Still, it is an option as the Bears look at their broadcast future.

"Stations understand their value to the Bears, and what our presence does for them," Valdiserri said. "We won't take less than market value."

Trouble is, the market has changed for the Bears.

Handicap: So which station is the front-runner in the Bears' sweepstakes? All things being equal, WGN would appear to have the edge.

The station attracts a huge audience, and there's nothing like morning man Bob Collins beating the drum for the team.

"All they have to do is listen to us and how we promote the Cubs during the day," Carver said. "That's what the Bears have been missing."

However, there are some doubts as to whether Carver and WGN will come up with enough dollars to satisfy the Bears. The ESPN sports-talker, WMVP, has plenty of money from parent company Disney, but it has to overcome significant obstacles.

The station's deal with the White Sox and Jerry Reinsdorf precludes the team from being bumped. The Bears aren't likely to accept a deal by which their August exhibition and September regular-season games are moved to another station, such as WLS-AM 890. WGN would move regular-season Cubs games.

"We wouldn't make an arrangement unless we have almost 100 percent clearance," Valdiserri said.

That would appear to make WMAQ the leader in the clubhouse. Valdiserri said the Bears like how the station has handled the package the last two years.

"We think they've done a great job," Valdiserri said. "But we owe it to ourselves to see what's out there."

The wrapup: While Michael McCaskey ruled from his ivory tower, new Bears President Ted Phillips intends to be much more open. Valdiserri says the Bears are planning for a weekly management report radio show, and Phillips will have "a major presence.". . . WMAQ has been talking with free-agent Chet Coppock about a role with the station. Few people know the Bears like Coppock, who would figure to play a significant role in the coverage of the team. . . . Also at WMAQ, Dave Pasch is leaving to become the play-by-play voice for his alma mater, Syracuse.

And finally, thanks to Jerome Holtzman for showing a 26-year-old rookie baseball writer the importance of "arriving in good time" at the ballpark. The Hall of Famer always treated me as an equal, and it's something I'll never forget.